This Session's Health Care Paradox

This session, California lawmakers have passed health care bills designed to protect consumers and implement the new federal health car law.Yet, this session, lawmakers will also be cutting many health care services.

This session,
California lawmakers have passed health care bills designed to
protect consumers and implement the new federal health care
law. Yet, lawmakers are also likely to cut millions of
dollars from health care services.

Most of the health care bills the
legislature approved are cost neutral to the state, and will
eventually open the door for more Californians to be covered by
health insurance. Meanwhile, Medi-Cal services, payments to clinics
and other health services are expected to be substantially cut this
session in the face of a 19 billion dollar budget deficit. Anthony
Wright is with the consumer group Health Access. He says cutting
services could undermine the new health care policies.

"Will the choices that we make in this
budget to make severe cuts to our health and human services prevent
us from ever getting to the promised land?," Wright asks.
"You know, will we undermine the health care
system so severely that we undermine our ability to take advantage
of the benefits of the new federal health law?"

Legislative Democrats have vowed to
avoid what they call draconian cuts to health care and other
services. Republicans, led by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, say
the spending reductions are needed to balance the budget.